Washing machine



June 3 1924.

C. JACKSON WASHING MACHINE Filed April 19. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet c. JACKSON WASHING MACHINE June 3 1924.

Filed April 19 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

Patented June 3, 1924.

heater Parent 1 ounce.

CALVIN JACKSON, OF JACKSONWALD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 HENRY S. HALTZEL, 0F ALLENT'OVJ N, PENNSYLVANIA.

VJ'ASHING- MACHINE.

Application filed. April 19; 1923. Serial No. 633,298.

To all "107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonwald, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machines, and the object in the present instance is to provide a washing machine with an easily removable cover one in which the agitator is mounted in a bearing whose friction is reduced to a mini mumone in which the agitator handle is easily and quickly removed when desired and in which the same means that hold the handle in position also secures the agitator to the cover of the machine;

The invention contemplates a machine having a ball bearing in the cover, in which the agitator is mounted for rotation with a minimum of friction, and in which the slight loosening up of two screw bolts will release the agitator handle, while the further removal of the said two bolts will release the agitator from engagement with the cover, which, in addition to the fact that the cover itself is easily lifted from engagement with the tub, due to a particular form of hinge, described in a co-pending application, will permit the machine to be taken apart for shipment very easily and quickly and the parts are of such dimen sions that they may be stored within the confines of the tub, when being shipped or stored.

The invention is more fully described in the following specification and clearly illus trated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my machine with the agitator handle cut away.

Figure 2 is a central sectional view thereof, taken through line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a slightly enlarged view of the agitator bearing and handle engaging mechanism, securely drawn together for operation.

Figure 4 is a like view, with the screw bolts slightly loosened, and the handle about to be lifted from the socket.

Figure 5 is a plan view of part of the stirrer.

The numeral 1 designates a washing machine tub of usual form, 2, designates a cover therefor, which supports an agitator 3, and 4 designates the agitator or operating handle, 5 designates the cover hinge and 6 the locking bolt for securing the cover in closed position.

In the centre of the cover 2, I form an opening, and in and over this opening I place a ball bearing 7 provided with the usual ball race 8. At two diametrically opposed points in the bearing body 7, I locate screw bolts 9, which pass through the body and whose lower extremities depend through the cover and engage the agitator 8, so that, when these two bolts are drawn taut, the agitator is securely attached to the rotatable portion of the ball bearing memher 7.

This ball bearing member is formed with a centrally disposed depending portion 10',

This conical member 12 is a two-piece L member, as clearly disclosed in Figure 5,

and each piece comprises a fiat or plate portion 13 and a half round upwardly projecting portion 141-, the two opposed portions 14 when brought together, as they are in action, forming the cone, and these portions are each formed with a, V-shaped vertical groove 15 so that the squared handle member. 4: will be engaged between the two members 14 and gripped thereby, when they are drawn together,

When the bolts 9 are drawn taut, the plates 13 will move towards each other, provision for this slight movement being made by means of elongated openings 16 to accommodate the screws 17 by means of which the plates are secured to the upper surface of the agitator proper.

It will be noted therefore, that in assembling the parts, the ball bearing is secured to the cover by means of screws or other devices, the agitator with the up wardly projecting, two-part, conical portion is presented to the under side of the cover, and the cone entered in the tapered opening of the ball hearing. The bolts 9 are placed in position, and drawn up until they engage the agitator in about the position shown in Figure 4, that is, with the tapered surfaces in contact, as between the cone and the bearfit ing, but not suificient to compress the two parts of the cone together tightly,

The handle a is then placed in position, between the members I l, and the further drawing up of the bolts 9 will cause the cone to move upwardly in the tapered opening, and to compress the two portions thereof, thus tightly grasping the handle. It is evident therefore, that to remove the handle, as for storing or shipping, a very slight release of the bolts- 9 will permit its removal, while a further Withdrawal of the bolts will release the agitator.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a Washing machine, the combination of a receptacle, a removable cover therefor, a ball bearing device located centrally in the cover and having a tapered central opening, a ball bearing in said opening, said ball bearing having a centrally disposed depending portion Whose interior is formed with a tapered opening, an agitator, a two-part cone-shaped projection on the upper surface of the agitator, said cone-shaped portions having flat base plates formedthereon, being capable of slight lateral movement, and adapted to lit in the tapered opening of'the ball bearin member, a handle for the agitator, and a pair of oppositely disposed bolts adapted to secure the agitator to the cover and co-incidently to secure the handle to the agitator:

2. In washing machine, a receptacle, a cover therefor, a central ball bearing in the cover, having a tapered central opening, an agitator, a pair of plates slidably secured to the agitator, each plate having a grooved, tapered upwardly projecting portion, a pair of screw bolts passing through the ball bearing and engaging the plates on the agitator, whereby the drawing up of said bolts will secure the agitator to the cover and at the seine. time, cause the tapered upwardly projecting portions of the plates to grip the handle.

The combination of a bearing having a central opening, said opening being tapered, an agitator having a pair of laterally slidable plates on its upper surface, each plate having a tapered projection extending upwardly therefrom, said tapered projections fitting easily in the tapered opening of the bearing, a pair of screw bolts passing through the bearing and engaging the plates, whereby, drawing up of the bolts will secure the agitator to the bearing and also move the plates toward each other.

In testimony whereof I attlx my signature.

CALVIN JACKSON, 

